Spatial-Temporal Characteristics, Source Apportionment, and Health Risks of Atmospheric Volatile Organic Compounds in China: A Comprehensive Review.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous in the atmosphere, posing significant adverse impacts on air quality and human health. However, current research on atmospheric VOCs mainly focuses on specific regions or industries, without comprehensive national-level analysis. In this study, a total of 99 articles on atmospheric VOCs in China published from 2015 to 2024 were screened, and data on their concentrations, source apportionment, and health risks were extracted and summarized.

An investigative review of the expanded capabilities of thermal/optical techniques for measuring carbonaceous aerosols and beyond.

Carbonaceous aerosols primarily comprise organic carbon (OC) and black carbon (BC). Thermal-optical analysis (TOA) is the most commonly used method for separating carbonaceous aerosols into OC and EC (BC is referred to as elemental carbon EC, in this method). Advances in hardware design and algorithms have expanded the capabilities of TOA beyond just distinguishing OC and EC.

Research progresses on the effects of light, temperature and water conditions on primary and secondary growth of trees.

Tree growth includes primary growth and secondary growth. The growth activity and dormancy cycle of trees can affect forest productivity and carbon sequestration capacity. Therefore, it is of great significance to examine the effects of environmental conditions (.

Asymmetric Warming of Day and Night Benefits the Early Growth of Acer mono Seedlings More Than Symmetric Warming.

Asymmetric warming refers to the difference between the increase in daytime maximum temperature and the increase in nighttime minimum temperature and has been documented in temperate regions. However, its impacts on seedling growth have been largely ignored. In this study, seedlings of a widely distributed tree species, Acer mono Maxim.

Kinetics and HO Influence on NO Trapping and Selective Catalytic Reduction over Ce/Pd Doping Catalyst.

In this paper, the removal effects and activation energy of Ce and Pd doping on pollutants (CO, CH, and NO) were comparatively analyzed by using characterization methods and constructed kinetic equations. Furthermore, the problems of the water influence mechanism on the NSR process were also discussed. The results show the following: (1) Pd doping effectively improves the removal of CO (80%) and CH (71%) in the low-temperature section of the catalyst (150-250 °C) compared to Ce doping, while Ce doping exhibits excellent low-temperature conversion of NO.

Upscaling net ecosystem CO exchanges in croplands: The application of integrating object-based image analysis and machine learning approaches.

Accurately estimating the net ecosystem exchange of CO (NEE) in cropland ecosystems is essential for understanding the impacts of agricultural practices and climate conditions. However, significant uncertainties persist in the estimation of regional cropland NEE due to landscape heterogeneity and variations in the efficacy of upscaling models. Here, we applied an integrated approach that combined object-based image analysis (OBIA) techniques with advanced machine learning (ML) approaches to upscale regional cropland NEE.

Winter harvesting reduces methane emissions and enhances blue carbon potential in coastal phragmites wetlands.

Enhancing the ability of coastal blue carbon to accumulate and store carbon and reduce net greenhouse gas emissions is an essential component of a comprehensive approach for tackling climate change. The annual winter harvesting of Phragmites is common worldwide. However, the effects of harvesting on methane (CH) emissions and its potential as an effective blue carbon management strategy have rarely been reported.

Applicability of the generalized wind profile model over mountainous forests.

The analytical equation based on Monin-Obukhov (M-O) similarity theory (, wind profile equation) has been adopted since 1970s for using in the prediction of wind vertical profile over flat terrains, which is mature and accurate. However, its applicability over complex terrains remains unknown. This applicability signifies the accuracy of the estimations of aerodynamic parameters for the boundary layer of non-flat terrain, such as zero-displacement height () and aerodynamic roughness length (), which will determine the accuracy of frequency correction and source area analysis in calculating carbon, water, and trace gas fluxes based on vorticity covariance method.

Investigation into the impact of CeO morphology regulation on the oxidation process of dichloromethane.

Four distinct CeO catalysts featuring varied morphologies (nanorods, nanocubes, nanoparticles, and nano spindle-shaped) were synthesized through a hydrothermal process and subsequently employed in the oxidation of dichloromethane (DCM). The findings revealed that the nano spindle-shaped CeO exhibited exposure of crystal faces (111), demonstrating superior catalytic oxidation performance for DCM with a of 337 °C and notably excellent low-temperature catalytic activity ( = 192 °C). The primary reaction products were identified as HCl and CO.

Carbon fluxes of China's coastal wetlands and impacts of reclamation and restoration.

Coastal wetlands play an important role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO) concentrations and contribute significantly to climate change mitigation. However, climate change, reclamation, and restoration have been causing substantial changes in coastal wetland areas and carbon exchange in China during recent decades. Here we compiled a carbon flux database consisting of 15 coastal wetland sites to assess the magnitude, patterns, and drivers of carbon fluxes and to compare fluxes among contrasting natural, disturbed, and restored wetlands.

Dynamic Intermediate-Temperature CO Adsorption Performance of KCO-Promoted Layered Double Hydroxide-Derived Adsorbents.

The dynamic adsorption characteristics of KCO-promoted layered double hydroxides (LDHs)-based adsorbent, with organic and inorganic anion intercalation, were studied. MgAl-LDH, KCO/MgAl-LDH, and KCO/MgAl-LDH(C16) with varying KCO loads were prepared and used for intermediate-temperature CO sequestration. The adsorbent was thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy techniques, which revealed enhanced adsorption properties of MgAl-LDH, due to KCO promotion.

[Ozone Pollution in Suzhou During Early Summertime: Formation Mechanism and Interannual Variation].

This study investigated the concentrations of atmospheric pollutants in the urban area of Suzhou from May to June, 2017-2021. The variation characteristics and annual changes of ozone (O), nitrogen oxide (NO), total oxidant (O), carbon monoxide (CO), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analyzed. The O formation mechanism and its annual changes were studied using an Observation-Based Model (OBM), and VOCs source apportionments and their trends were discussed.

[Characterization of Metal Elements in Atmospheric PM and Health Risk Assessment in Heze in Winter from 2017 to 2018].

Atmospheric PM samples were collected in Heze, Shandong Province, from a total of three sampling sites at Heze College, Huarun Pharmacy, and a wastewater treatment plant between October 15, 2017 and January 31, 2018, to determine the concentrations of 21 metal elements in PM using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The degree of elemental enrichment was also discussed, the health risks and potential heavy metal ecological risks were assessed. The results showed that (PM) ranged from 26.

A review of quantification methods for light absorption enhancement of black carbon aerosol.

Black carbon (BC) is a distinct type of carbonaceous aerosol that has a significant impact on the environment, human health, and climate. A non-BC material coating on BC can alter the mixing state of the BC particles, which considerably enhances the mass absorption efficiency of BC by directing more energy toward the BC cores (lensing effect). A lot of methods have been reported for quantifying the enhancement factor (E), with diverse results.

Characteristics of net ecosystem exchange and source distribution of Xilinhot grassland, China.

To understand carbon sequestration capacity of grasslands, the changes of CO flux in Xilinhot grasslands and the influence of environmental factors were analyzed by using the eddy data of Xilinhot National Climate Observatory in 2018-2021, and the distribution of flux source areas was analyzed. The results showed that the southwest wind prevailed in the study area throughout the year, the source area in the growing season was larger than that in the non-growing season, and the source area under stable atmospheric conditions was larger than that under unstable conditions. The maximum length of source region with a contribution rate of 90% was close to 400 m, which was consistent with the length estimated by the classical law.

Modeling Impacts of Urbanization on Winter Boundary Layer Meteorology and Aerosol Pollution in the Central Liaoning City Cluster, China.

The influence of urbanization on the frequent winter aerosol pollution events in Northeast China is not fully understood. The Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) coupled with urban canopy (UC) models was used to simulate the impact of urbanization on an aerosol pollution process in the Central Liaoning city cluster (CLCC), China. To investigate the main mechanisms of urban expansion and UC on the winter atmospheric environment and the atmospheric diffusion capacity (ADC) in the CLCC, three simulation cases were designed using land-use datasets from different periods and different UC schemes.

Complex temperature dependence of vehicular emissions: Evidence from a global meta-analysis.

The significant impact of low ambient temperature, which was less regulated, on vehicle exhaust emissions had garnered considerable attention. This study investigated the impact of ambient temperature on exhaust emissions based on the global meta-analysis. The estimated sizes (mean difference, MD) of 11 exhaust pollutants were quantified with 1795 observations at low ambient temperatures (LATs, -18 °C to -7 °C) versus warm ambient temperatures (WATs, 20 °C-30 °C).

Impacts of air pollution and meteorological conditions on dry eye disease among residents in a northeastern Chinese metropolis: a six-year crossover study in a cold region.

The purpose of this study is to explore the associations among dry eye disease (DED), air pollution, and meteorological conditions in the cold region of a northeastern Chinese metropolis (i.e., Changchun).

The integrating sphere system plus in-situ absorption monitoring: A new scheme to study absorption enhancement of black carbon in ambient aerosols.

Black carbon (BC) is the strongest light-absorbing aerosol in the atmosphere. The coating process causes lensing effects to enhance the BC absorption. The reported BC absorption enhancement values (E) significantly differ partly due to the measurement methods used.

Responses of dry matter accumulation and partitioning to drought and subsequent rewatering at different growth stages of maize in Northeast China.

Introduction: Dry matter accumulation (DMA) and dry matter partitioning (DMP) are important physiological processes determining crop yield formation. Deep understanding of the DMA and DMP processes and their responses to drought are limited by difficulty in acquiring total root biomass.

Methods: Pot experiments with treatments quitting and ceasing ear growth (QC) and controlling soil water (WC) during vegetative (VP) and reproductive (RP) growth stages of maize (Zea mays) were conducted in Jinzhou in 2019 and 2020 to investigate the effects of drought and rewatering on DMW and DMP of different organs.

Levels and diverse composition profiles of chlorinated paraffins in indoor dust: possible sources and potential human health related concerns.

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs), a group of mixtures with different carbon chain lengths and chlorine contents, are widely used as plasticizers and flame retardants in various indoor materials. CPs could be released from CP-containing materials into the ambient environment and then enter the human body via inhalation, dust ingestion and dermal absorption, resulting in potential effects on human health. In this study, we collected residential indoor dust in Wuhan, the largest city in central China, and focused on the co-occurrence and composition profiles of CPs as well as the resultant human risk via dust ingestion and dermal absorption.

Low-temperature selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH over an FeO /β-MnO composite.

A series of Fe-modified β-MnO (FeO /β-MnO) composite catalysts were prepared by an impregnation method with β-MnO and ferro nitrate as raw materials. The structures and properties of the composites were systematically characterized and analyzed by X-ray diffraction, N adsorption-desorption, high-resolution electron microscopy, temperature-programmed reduction of H, temperature-programmed desorption of NH, and FTIR infrared spectroscopy. The deNO activity, water resistance, and sulfur resistance of the composite catalysts were evaluated in a thermally fixed catalytic reaction system.

Influence of the Long-Range Transport of Siberian Biomass Burnings on Air Quality in Northeast China in June 2017.

Biomass burning (BB) emits a large volume of trace gases and aerosols into the atmosphere, which can significantly affect the earth's radiative balance and climate and has negative impacts on air quality and even human health. In late June 2017, an intense BB case, dominated by forest and savanna fires, occurred in Siberia, and it affected the air quality of Northeast China through long-range transport. Here, multisatellite remote-sensing products and ground-based PM measurements are used to evaluate the influence of the Siberian smoky plume on Northeast China.